By Lynelle Ward
UHCLIDIAN STAFF

A terrorist attack destroyed The Twin Towers Sept. 11, 2001. Beneath the smoldering ruins of the World Trade Center, thousands of people died. At that moment my life and the lives of people around the world changed forever. On this day terrorists destroyed an American icon, but in doing so they immortalized its spirit.

During the first few moments of the attack our campus stood still. Students gathered in front of the Atria televisions between classes. Classroom lessons took a back seat to student discussions of current events.

After the first two planes crashed, I remember the immediate panic that slowly came over me. Then, when the news reported that a third plane hit the Pentagon, I envisioned all-out war taking place on American soil, something I once thought impossible.

Fear of new attacks calmed by the end of the day, but everyone was still on edge. I remember hearing a plane overhead that afternoon and my heart stopped for a moment. There was a no fly rule in place. It was a fighter plane passing by on its way to Ellington Field.

News reports ran 24-hours-a-day and I stayed glued to the television. I cried as I watched endless numbers of families and friends mourn for their loved ones day after day.

After three days, I could no longer watch. The graphic images had taken an emotional toll on me. My birthday, Sept. 14, the official day of mourning, didn't seem like an appropriate day to celebrate.

Things did get better. Our country's mourning turned into American pride and a resolve that we would overcome this tragic event.

As September approached this year, images of that devastating moment slowly appeared on television screens across the nation - a remembrance and memorial to the events that engulfed the nation one year ago. The journey our country has taken has been an emotional roller coaster ride. My personal journey has been similar.

When the tragedy took place I felt a desire to do something for our country to show my concern for those grieving lost loved ones. I displayed my American flag and gave blood - a small token a student from Texas could do for our country.

As my birthday approached again this year, I began to remember the events that changed our country. I felt it was fitting to celebrate my birthday with a trip to New York because of the emotional mark Sept. 11 left on me. As a tribute to those who lost their lives, I chose to fly to New York Sept. 11.

On board my flight, the crew and passengers observed a moment of silence for those lost one year ago. Most passengers wore an American flag pin that was passed out by flight attendants.

The remembrance then quickly became a present day reality as passengers were informed of the safety rules that would apply to the flight.

We were told that in the last 30 minutes of the flight we could not leave our seats for any reason. If we did not abide by these rules we would be considered a threat and dealt with accordingly. At that moment the trip turned from a somber mood to somewhat frightening.

New York, on the other hand, seemed almost unchanged by the anniversary. The hustle and bustle of the city continued. It was not until I went to ground zero that I could really see the effect this event had on the city.

Everyone I talked to that day knew someone that had died during the tragedy. There were hundreds of people gathered at ground zero to observe the memorial, but you could hear a pin drop in the silence. The first-hand view of the area devastation was incredible.

People applauded police officers as we converged on gound zero for a candlelight memorial. An eternal flame was lit at the World Trade Center Sphere and placed at Battery Park. It was an incredible moment to share with those who truly suffered during this time, a moment I shall never forget.

More pictures:

Top of Page | Front Page